General Information for New Students

The Community College of Rhode Island is the state’s only public comprehensive associate degree-granting institution. We provide affordable open access to higher education at locations throughout the state. Our primary mission is to offer recent high school graduates and returning adults the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for intellectual, professional and personal growth through an array of academic, career and CWCE programs. We meet the wide-ranging educational needs of our diverse student population, building on our rich tradition of excellence in teaching and our dedication to all students with the ability and motivation to succeed. We set high academic standards necessary for transfer and career success, champion diversity, respond to community needs, and contribute to our state’s economic development and the region’s workforce.

The faculty and staff of the Community College of Rhode Island have established four critical abilities that define the learning outcomes of a CCRI graduate. These four abilities can be applied in many contexts and are critical skills that must be developed not only at CCRI, but over the course of a lifetime. These core abilities guide students, faculty and staff in establishing educational goals and assessing learning within and across the primary domains of knowledge: arts and humanities, science and mathematics, and the social sciences.

Effective Communication

Demonstrate English language fluency.

Utilize current communication technology.

Organize and present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.

Critical Thinking

Identify, analyze and understand complex ideas.

Use information technology appropriately to locate, evaluate and apply research data.

Draw inferences from facts.

Evaluate and present well-reasoned arguments.

Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning

Demonstrate an understanding of mathematical and scientific principles.

Apply these principles to the solution of problems in academic work and in everyday life.

Interpret numeric information presented in graphic form.

Apply scientific methods to the inquiry process.

Social Interaction

Evaluate ethical dimensions of decisions.

Use teamwork to accomplish tasks in groups.

Demonstrate an understanding of global, cultural and historical perspectives.

CCRI is committed to providing quality education and to assuring that students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful. Assessment of student learning provides the information we need to make improvements in program structure, course content and pedagogy. To this end, information, including samples of student work, may be collected at the classroom, department and institution levels. The information collected will be completely anonymous and will have no impact on student grades. Aggregated results will be used for program planning purposes and may be included in institutional research analyses and reports. In addition, students may be asked to submit samples of their course work and engage in focus groups. They also may be asked to complete a questionnaire assessing the quality of academic services. These activities help us determine the extent to which students demonstrate competency in the areas outlined in the Definition of an Educated Person and in their area of concentration.

The first two semesters of college lay the foundation for students’ academic experience and are critical to their success. The Community College of Rhode Island is committed to providing a supportive environment where students can explore academic opportunities, achieve personal goals, transition effectively to college life by meeting college-level expectations, and experience a culture of inclusivity and enrichment. The first year of college at CCRI is designed to foster scholastic achievement while students develop independent thinking, a sense of personal responsibility and a desire for lifelong learning.

This page developed and maintained by Community College of Rhode Island. 400 East Avenue, Warwick, Rhode Island 02886-1807 - Telephone: (401) 825-1000. Send comments and suggestions about this site to webservices@ccri.edu.